Life Is Cruel
by Honda56
Summary: Hattori is the first to go. He knows death will only continue to touch the people around them but they cannot follow.


When Hattori Heiji passes on in his 30s, its in exchange for the life of an innocent bystander. The child was saved and the serial murder he was chasing down is brought away in handcuffs. He is glad his life meant something.

Nonetheless, there is a lingering regret of having left behind his Kazuha and their much-too-young-to-understand children. But he knows she is strong. She sits beside his body, hands wrapped around his own lifeless hand and the tears she sheds for him  
leaves his heart aching, the curses she spouts at him that are very much her expression of love stabs him but he knows Kazuha will overcome it and live. He believes in the woman he loves. It does not make it any less painful to watch.

At his funeral, he sees a ton of people bid him farewell. His parents, his wife, his children, his friends, his colleagues, his clients. It isn't until he sees Mouri Ran escort Kazuha home that he realises he had been searching for a glimpse of his best  
friend in the crowd the entire time. Even though by logic he knows that he would not appear with so many witnesses around.

So he waits by his tombstone because even after not having seen the guy for years he knows he will definitely drop by. At the back of his mind he has already deduced from the fact that there is no overpopulation of ghosts that his time was limited.  
He only hopes he will see him again before he truly goes.

To his joyful surprise, his wish is granted a few days later instead of the weeks, months or years he was steeling himself to wait for. He cannot help the "KUDO!" that escapes his mouth when he sees him from a distance and runs forward to mess his hair  
even as he knows he cannot hear, cannot feel him.

The little nee-chan is a few steps behind and like how he has ever known of Haibara Ai, she does not stay to chat. Only whispers a sentence he does not quite catch before leaving Kudo his privacy. Even so, he is touched by her fleeting presence and even  
more by the flowers she left for him.

For a while Kudo says nothing. But he sees his fists tightening at his side, nails digging into his palms, jaw clenched, eyes glistening with unshed tears and he cannot bear to see Kudo - his rival, his best friend, his brother, his respected colleague  
\- so pained.

Kudo mumbles out a small "S'rry." and he wants so much to tell him that he is sorry. Because between anonymous tips, calls and presents, Kudo had never truly left them behind all those years ago but _his_ is much more a permanent goodbye. Because  
although short, _his_ life had friends and family that Kudo was forced to let go of.

He wants Kudo to stop blaming himself for his death because there is nothing to be guilty about. It is only making him more worried for him than he is for his widowed wife because if he is so burdened by his death he cannot imagine how he would be crushed  
when Mouri Ran's time comes to pass.

With the both of them never quite vocal about their emotions, silence reigns between them. Thunder roars in the distance and raindrops start to fall, heralding the storm. Still, Kudo stands unflinching, staring at the name engraved in the tombstone.

He is relieved when the little nee-chan comes back with an umbrella and just holds it up for him. He is glad Kudo will not be alone even if it's not who he had once envisioned and maybe still wished would be by his side. "Please take care of him." he  
asks of her. Even though there is no use and no need for it. They only have each other.

Finally, as if the rain had washed away part of his inner turmoil, there is a minute ease of tension in Kudo. A barely noticeable softening of features. He gives his goodbye before walking away. "Thanks for everything, Hattori. Farewell."

He watches them go, never taking his eyes off of them until they are out of sight and still looks the distance in the same direction when they are gone. Wishes, hopes and prays for them. He'd never had to live to see death strike those so close to him  
before but the two of them will only continue to see the life of those around them snuffed out.

Truly, life is cruel.

A/N

So... I absolutely love immortal fics. Among other themes. Still, not gonna give an explanation for their immortality here. If you even caught on to the immortality part. Actually now that I read it again, it's kinda obscure. Might even make sense without  
it. Whatever. I'll think what I like.

This started out as a crossover between DC and bleach. Then the bleach part became irrelevant. :T In the end its just me trying to put sadness in a fic. Cos tragedy tugs my heart 3

In a sense Hattori is amazingly calm. I guess with age comes maturity and with a detective job comes the preparedness to die. Maybe.

I always don't know what to write about the BO. So I just ignored the big question everyone wants the answer to and didn't mention it. Meh.

On another note this is the first time i have ever penned down a story in my head. We'll see how this goes, yeah?


End file.
